Director of the CSU veterinary teaching hospital Dean Hendrickson and CSU student Michael Deogracias work on one of SurgiReal?s body walls.

Written by

David Young
DavidYoung@coloradoan.com

If one didn't know better, Dean Hendrickson's collection of life-like looking slabs of skin in his office would put him in the serial killer suspect category.

But fortunately for future surgeons, Hendrickson, 49, director of the CSU veterinary teaching hospital, is using his powers for good by founding SurgiReal products, a new startup company along with Fausto Bellezzo, a Colorado State University vet school surgeon, which produces realistic synthetic skin pads upon which students can practice cutting and suturing.

The SurgiReal pads and body walls include hairs, blood vessels and ...